The following morning Lucy woke up refreshed after a good night of sleep. The day before had been emotionally complicated but the support of her friends (even though she had stubbornly refused to speak) had reminded her of how lucky she was to have them in her life. The young woman got up then quietly prepared to go to work.
Once at the station, she repeated her everyday routine. Then, she went to the conference room for the briefing. In advance, she took the opportunity to discuss with her two female colleagues. After apologizing for her behavior the night before, they planned to have lunch together. These elders guaranteed her that there was no problem but were delighted to see the real Lucy reappear behind all this pain. One thing was for sure, they were all determined to keep this going, and the planned evening was off to a good start.
The morning passed relatively calmly. After the call, they went on patrol. Nothing extremely dangerous appeared on their radar, only regular calls. By then, Tim and Lucy had learned to work together effectively. During quiet time, the young woman began to open up to him.
"I wanted to apologize for being distant yesterday. A lot has happened in the last few months, and I thought I was getting better, but I had a bad experience with my parents, and it was hard to take.".
"I understand, and you don't have to apologize. Family is far from always easy. How you want to handle this is up to you. Only, I reiterate my offer. If you need anything you can count on me," Bradford replied, happy to see that she looked more at ease.
"It will be fine, I'm used to this type of behavior from them, and I know I can count on you. I always have," the brunette smiled looking at him tenderly. Whatever happened he had always made sure to let her fight her own battles while always being by her side if she wanted to. The esteem he placed in her made her feel so strong. She felt like she could lift mountains. His unconditional support made her feel safe even in the worst of situations.
For his part, he nodded. The policeman was delighted and terrified to see how much she trusted him. After all, Lucy was one of the few people who knew everything about him, both his qualities and his darker features. Still, she hadn't fled, and Tim wasn't sure why. She was way too good for him. Interrupted by a call, the former soldier came out of his mind, and the duo resumed work.
Around noon, the three young women met in one of their favorite bistros when Tim returned to the station to do some paperwork. They motioned to the waiter who brought them their usual dish then sat down to chat. After talking about their personal and professional life, the little group touched on the subject of Officer Chen's parents. The younger didn't expand much more than necessary, but she felt lighter after speaking. Relatively logical they came to talking about Tim. Angela and her fellow lieutenant exchanged a look. It was time to test their theory on his feelings.
"It doesn't surprise me about Tim. Behind his badass looks, he has always had a huge heart. Before, he just had more difficulty showing it, but he changed a lot after you started to work together."
"You give me more credit than I deserve. You said it yourself, he's always been like that. He just needed some time after everything that happened with Isabel."
"I'm not so sure. You are good to each other, the time has proven it to us, at work and in the private sphere," the young mother smiled in a way that left little room for doubt.
"Oh no, no, no, no, that's not what you think. There is absolutely nothing between Tim and me," the pretty brunette stammered, feeling her cheeks flush with such a suggestion. Her feelings for her boss were very vague, but she had always refused to think about it for endless reasons. The idea that her friends might have noticed this internal conflict terrified her.
"Calm Chen, we know. What Angela is saying is that the two of you might live something nice, something that could make you happy," Lieutenant Harper added kindly.
"There are an infinite number of reasons that I do not agree, the first being that what I feel now, and I'm not sure what it is, is not reciprocal. There's no way Tim would feel anything but friendship for me. I've had a hard time getting him to admit that" Lucy whispered, feeling her heart tighten as she spoke her words. They had indeed become very close. Only, she was not his type.
"Bradford indeed has the emotional capacity of a five-year-old, but that doesn't mean he doesn't feel anything, and you know that very well. He just doesn't know how to phrase it. He sincerely cares about you. I've never seen him open up to someone the way he does with you when I've known him for years or talk about anyone that way. After all, you got him to trust you enough that he wasn't ashamed or afraid to be vulnerable around you, and that's miraculously adorable."
"I agree. This man is in awe of you, it's both adorable and so cutesy that it can make you want to vomit. I mean, the way he stared at you when you were wearing that green dress … You better had a room," Nyla joked to make her listen to her while relaxing the atmosphere. She had noticed the way he had looked at her, and it had elated her to the utmost. Lucy had almost jumped for joy at the idea of sharing a dance, but everything had gone into a spin a few minutes after his proposal, and nothing had ever been the same.
"I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I don't have the strength to get into this discussion," Officer Chen confessed, trying to cut the topic off. With what she had gone through in recent months, the young woman needed stability, and Tim was an important constant in her life. She wasn't ready to think about all her feelings, especially when she didn't think they were mutual.
"As you feel," Angela concluded, understanding. In no case does the Hispanic wish to force things or push them too far. All she wanted was for her friends to be happy and the last few conversations would at least have had the merit of making them respectively understand that they had everyone's support. In addition, what better than a birthday party in good company to bring them closer. They just had to wait and observe. The three young women continued to discuss while eating.
An hour after leaving the station, they were back, ready to fight crime. The afternoon passed without a hitch between arrests and reports to fill out. The policewoman could see that something was up because Tim had never texted so much in a day. Only she wasn't sure she wanted to know what it was. After all, he now had a girlfriend, and she didn't want to hear him talk about this budding romance.
When she got back to the station, Lucy was surprised to see the reception agent tell her that someone was waiting for her. Puzzled, she walked into the hall, her boss on her heels. When she arrived at her destination, she was able to observe her mother patiently with her head of the bad days. It was not going to be fun. Seeing his partner's face change, Sergeant Bradford decided to stay and watch them from afar, very worried. After all, few things had the power to reach her at this point.
Officer Chen walked slowly towards her elder.
"Mom, what can I do for you?" She asked coldly.
"Darling, please listen to me. You could get better than that. You will miss your life if you don't try, you will end up alone. We only want your good," shebegan condescendingly, convinced she was right.
"Please don't do it again. If I left without listening to you two days ago it was certainly not to let myself be insulted in my workplace."
"Workplace! It's hardly a hobby. You bash in mediocrity Lucy and don't tell me that you feel useful when you do more harm than good to this community. Do you find it pleasant to mistreat people all the time?" She continued aggressively. Lucy was facing her, one hand on her temple and her eyes closed with an exhausted look.
She was about to argue when Sergeant Bradford appeared beside her, indignant at such hurtful words towards her partner.
"Madam, I am Sergeant Tim Bradford, your daughter's supervisor, and former instructor. Not only would I not let you dishonor officers risking their lives every day, but I also can't hear you talk about your daughter like that without saying anything. She is the kindest, most compassionate, strong, and intelligent person I have met in my life. She is an exceptional police officer and an even more incredible person. You should be proud of her instead of constantly belittling her, I am. Now, if you don't plan to change your position and unless Lucy has anything to add, I advise you to go," Tim said calmly and under the astonished gaze of his partner. So many compliments made her heart leap in her chest and all the conflicting emotions she was feeling now mingled in a scholarly mess. For her part, her mother looked at her two interlocutors with a surly air but left in silence, understanding that she would not be successful. Immediately, he turned to his partner, thus being able to observe the torments which animated her.
"Lucy, I'm sorry if I crossed the line but ..."
"No, absolutely not I ... I need air, really need air," she stammered, passing a hand on the back of her neck, extremely embarrassed to feel a panic attack rising in her.
Hurriedly, the young woman joined the locker room. It was the end of the shift, so she changed and got into the car while struggling to stay in control. Without thinking, she walked over to the Los Angeles cemetery and her best friend's grave. Failing to have him by her side, she could still try to get as close to him as possible. Once at her destination, she sat down on the bench next to her, closed her eyes, took a deep breath while enjoying the rays of the sun on her skin, and let the tears run down her cheeks. A few minutes later, she was already feeling better.
"Hi, Jackson! I'm a little ahead of my visit this week, but I missed you terribly. It was my birthday yesterday and my parents ruined everything again. My god, you can't imagine what I would give to make you still here. We would have partied until we fell from exhaustion. The others tried to get me out, but I have to say I was reluctant. I don't have the heart for it. I know I shouldn't pay so much attention to my parents' words, but there is a small part of me that can't help but think they're right. I will end up all alone and unhappy. After all, everyone is moving forward: Nyla with James, Angela with Wesley and the adorable Jack, John, and Bailey then Tim and Ashley ... He ... He was awesome to me. I don't know how I could have endured your absence if it hadn't been there. I don't think I would have taken it," the beautiful brunette said, continuing to cry. She lifted her head to take a deep breath and watched the object of her thoughts move towards her. He seemed hesitant, not wishing to disturb her in full introspection, but she motioned for him to join her.
"Hey, am I disturbing you?" He questioned timidly, not knowing how to rescue her.
"No, of course not ... I'm sorry for the little scene earlier. My mother has completely crossed the line. It's not very surprising coming from her, but I never thought it would reflect on my work."
"Please don't apologize. You know I have no problem telling you when I think you are wrong, but it is very far from being the case here. She is the only culprit."
"Did you mean it? All those compliments you gave me in front of my mother, you were trying to put off her or you meant it," the policewoman questioned, gazinginto his eyes anxiously, not knowing if she wanted to know the answer to her question. He looked at her, incredibly pained at how much she was in pain, how much she could underestimate herself.
"Of course, I thought so. I'm not very good at compliments as Gray has pointed out to me in the past, but I meant every word and probably more. Anyone who's incredibly lucky enough to know the real Lucy Chen will tell you the same. Jackson would if he was still with us," Tim said, careful to put all the sincerity he could into his words. He took her hands and traced a small circle on the back of her hand using his thumb. The young woman's heart swerved.
"Thank you," shewhispered, moved.
"Will you be okay?"
"Yes, it will take a little while, but everything will be fine. Let's say that I'm going to have to accept that I don't have parents anymore because one thing is certain, I cannot continue like this. They will never change, and I refuse to be treated that way. So, I will have to cut ties with them and that for good"
"I'm sincerely sorry. I guess it can't be easy, but for what it's worth, I'm proud of you."
"It matters a lot," she concluded with honesty. It would take time for her to recover from the last few days, but she would get there. With Tim and her friends by her side.
They remained silent for a few minutes, then the sergeant launched himself, determined to continue the plan put in place the day before. She needed it more than ever.
"I thought. Since you didn't have the opportunity to celebrate your birthday and you need to take your mind off you could come to dinner with Kojo and me tonight," heproposed, hoping not to have to insist. Officer Chen immediately turned her head towards him, surprised, touched, happy but also hesitant.
"Tim ... You ... It's adorable but you don't have to do that. I mean you got to have things planned with Ashley."
"We haven't had the opportunity to discuss it yet, but I broke up with her two weeks ago."
"What? But why? Tim, I'm sincerely sorry," the young woman wondered, surprised but unable to silence the glimmer of hope that had just emerged in her heart.
"Don't be. Ashley was a good person, but when she wanted it to get more serious, I realized that while I liked her, I didn't feel anything for her strong enough to continue our relationship. I don't know how to describe it but there weren't ..."
"Sparks," she finished as if it made sense.
"It's exactly that. So, are you interested in this dinner? Kojo would be delighted to see you, and I would have the opportunity to give you my gift."
"Kojo and a gift, I don't see how I could refuse such an offer. No, seriously, that's very sweet, and I'd love to have dinner with you," Lucy confessed, feeling her cheeks flush.
"Awesome!"
"I'm going home to take a good shower and change. We say around seven o'clock at your place."
"It seems perfect to me. I'm going to let you finish your conversation, and I tell you ... See you later," he concluded, getting up to walk towards his car, smiling. He was happy to have been able to help her and was ready to do anything to make it happen.
For her part, Lucy sat still a moment to think. Since she joined the police, her life had changed enormously, for better but also for worse. One thing was for sure, Tim Bradford was one of the best things to ever happen to her, and nothing could change that. Considering the turn their relationship was taking, maybe it could even evolve.